Mommy Dearest
by SupernaturalFanPerson
Summary: A strange creature is attacking women and children, and with Ruth gone off to college, Sam and Dean are alone again. But the next victim may be the one the brothers least expect. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! So, some people were asking for another Ruth story. Here it is! Not sure how people will feel about the way I went with this story but here it is!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Supernatural, Dean, Sam, or Castiel. Unfortunately, they do not own me either. I still like to write about them and its you guys that keep me writing so if you like it you can always review! I like to know how you feel about the story line (especially this story!). Without further ado:**

Dean quickly switched off Oprah as his brother entered the latest motel room.  
>"So?" He asked expectantly.<br>Sam held up a stack of papers in his hand. "You were right. It's an Oni. Preys on women and their very young children."  
>Dean grinned. "I'm always right!"<br>Sam just rolled his eyes and sat down on the other bed. "Whatever, but we really need to get rid of this thing before any more two year olds die!"  
>Dean nodded and grabbed the keys to the Impala. "Come on, we can stop for burgers after we gank it."<br>Sam cleared his throat. "We aren't killing anything yet." Dean looked disappointed. "I don't know how to yet. Maybe if you actually put a little effort into helping with the research we can save a few people!" Sam exclaimed, eyeing his brother's sandwich and magazine.  
>"I'm helping!" Dean protested through a mouthful of BLT.<br>Sam just ignored him. "Anyway, I found old Japanese lore- Bobby translated- about silver or stakes but I'm not sure yet. It could be repelled by salt, maybe..."  
>Dean nodded and added a few "Uh-Huh"'s but his mind was elsewhere. Back to that night.<br>00000  
>"DEAN! It's not a matter of hunting or not, it's for her safety! And if she wants to go you should let her!"<br>"Sammy, you know I just can't let that happen! I almost lost you to the apple pie lifestyle and I'm not about to lose Ruth, too!"  
>"She's a smart girl! She should be allowed to go to college if she wants to! She got into HARVARD!"<br>"Harvard or community college, what's the difference? Either way, she's away from us and our protection!"  
>"She can protect herself! She's known how to since she was 5!"<br>"But if she just stayed with us that wouldn't even be necessary!"  
>"Do you want her to stay with us forever? What about when we die? We both know it'll happen sooner than later and then she'll be all alone! Without the right education for a decent job!"<br>Ruth sat in the corner sharpening a knife. She tried to ignore the fight, but her brothers were getting pretty loud.  
>It's not like she even wanted to leave them. She just wanted a little more schooling. One year was all she asked and she voiced her opinion.<br>"You know, nothing's going to happen to me! I'm 18 and it's just one year! One year! I'll bring a gun!" She added helpfully.  
>Dean sat down and put his hands on his forehead. "Look," He said quietly."I didn't ever want us to fight. If you promise to do everything we tell you and call all the time... I guess... I guess you can go."<br>Ruth's face brightened and she jumped and screamed. She tackled Dean onto the bed and gave him a giant hug before running over to Sam and standing on her tip-toes to give him one too. She was beaming that day, and all Dean could think about was that his little sister was leaving him again.  
>00000<br>"Dean? Are you even listening?" Sam asked, annoyed.  
>Dean looked up. "Sorry."<br>Sam grinned. "Dude, she's coming home tomorrow, the wait's almost over. Just hang in there one more day!" He glanced at the calendar Dean tacked up at every motel to cross off the days until Ruth returned. Tomorrow's date was covered by a graduation cap Sam had put on it. Dean had covered that sticker with one of a gun and a ghost.

"I'll be back in a bit." Sam announced after hours of research.  
>"Are you going to the bar?" Dean asked hopefully.<br>"No, I'm going back to the library." He grabbed his laptop and shoved it into the messenger bag. "Are you coming?"  
>Dean scoffed. "No! But I will be at the bar." He threw away what was left of the sandwich and grabbed his keys.<br>"Will you at least drop me off?" Sam asked.  
>"Fine." Dean grumbled. "But you're gonna have to walk home."<p>

Dean had a pretty good night at the bar. He had a couple beers but the guys he was playing pool with must have been on at least their fifth.  
>He played a few games and was up five hundred when he left around eleven.<br>He got back to the motel to find Sam waiting for him. He stood up when Dean entered, obviously eager to tell him something.  
>Dean looked at him expectantly.<br>"There was another murder. She wasn't even a mother."  
>00000<br>Dean lugged the last of Ruth's new suitcases into the back of the rental car. "For a girl with such little clothing to her name, you sure have a lot of suitcases." Dean grunted as he sent the last bag into the trunk.  
>Sam came out of the motel room with a duffel bag. "Here's your favorite gun, your second favorite gun, your knives, Ruby's knife, holy water, and everything else you'd ever need."<br>Ruth took the bag. "Thanks, Sam." She threw it into the passenger's seat with a clunk.  
>"Call us when you get there, okay?" Dean ordered. "And call us everyday."<br>Rush rolled her eyes when her brothers weren't looking. "Of course I will, it's only one year! And I'll come here winter break! Besides," She added. "I'll be learning Latin."  
>"You already know Latin!" Dean complained. "I still don't understand why you want to go to college."<br>Ruth didn't answer. Sam handed her the car keys and hugged her one more time. "Call us any time. We'll try to stop by if we're in the area."  
>Ruth nodded into Sam's shoulder. "Thanks for letting me go." She said as she pulled away.<br>"Your welcome." Sam replied. "But you should really thank Dean. He really doesn't want you to go." The two looked over at a pale Dean leaning against the hood of the car playing with a knife.  
>"I think he's going to throw up." Ruth said. She walked over to her oldest brother and put her hand on his arm. "Dean, I'm sorry."<br>"Sorry for what?"  
>"For leaving you. But- I- it's just something I've always felt the need to do."<br>Dean focused on his knife. "I get it." He finally said. "You're a smart girl. You would rather go to school than hunt. Just like Sam."  
>"No! It's not like that! I love hunting! I just want to know what it is that Sam liked so much about college."<br>Dean looked up at her. "Okay. But I'm going to miss you and if you get hurt I'm never going to forgive myself."  
>Ruth grinned. "Then it's a good thing you have nothing to worry about!"<br>She hugged him and got into her car, pulling away once Dean got off the hood. She waved one more time before disappearing at the end of the street.  
>Sam looked over at his brother and saw tears on his eyes. "It's just college. She'll be fine." He reassured.<br>"Yeah," Dean muttered. "You were supposed to be fine, too."


	2. Chapter 2

**I must start by apologizing for the lack of excitement in the first chapter. I owe it to the Winchesters to make their life interesting. Anyway, Dean, Sam, and Ruth:**

Dean had been waiting for Ruth outside the motel room for an hour. Sam had tried to get him to at least get into the air conditioning but he refused.  
>Finally, the Impala pulled up. Dean smiled. Even if it was a newer model from the 2000s, he was still proud of Ruth for making it her first car.<br>She swung into a spot and ran up to Dean with a giant hug. Hugs seem to be her specialty, he thought as she gave one to Sam, too.  
>She looked different. More mature, maybe, or just well adjusted to the easy lifestyle of not risking her life every day. Her hair was still in a tight pony but it was longer and looked less spur-of-the-moment and more planned and carefully constructed.<br>She was wearing makeup and bracelets and stuff that just gets in the way when you're trying to load a gun.  
>"It's so good to be back!" She squealed.<br>"Yeah, Dean hasn't been the same since you left." Sam informed. "Come in and tell us about college."  
>The threesome sat down on the two creaking motel room beds.<br>Ruth was itching to begin. Neither man said anything, so she did.  
>"College was wonderful!" She blurted. "I took so many interesting classes. At first I was in a dorm, but I hated that so my boyfriend and I got our own place-"<br>"Your boyfriend? Your own place? Is there a reason you never mentioned this before?" Sam interrupted, frustrated.  
>"This is why!" She explained. "You two would freak out about it!"<br>"At least tell us who this boyfriend is." Dean said calmly.  
>"Fine," Ruth huffed. She got a dreamy look in her eyes as she began her description.<br>"He has short hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes that just- just feel like they're staring right into your soul!"  
>Dean rolled his eyes. "What's he like? I mean, can he shoot?"<br>Ruth glowed as she talked. "Oh, yes! I wondered the same thing so I took him to the shooting range for our first date-"  
>"That's my girl!" Dean exclaimed proudly.<br>"Yeah, sure, so uh... Anyway, I took him to the shooting range? Bulls-eyes. Every shot! We moved in together about halfway through the year. I miss him so much!"  
>Sam cleared his throat. "Did you forget something?"<br>Ruth was confused. "I-I don't think so..."  
>"His name?"<br>"Ohhhh! It's Thomas, Tom."  
>Ruth didn't stop talking about Tom all night. She was practically drooling over him for hours.<br>Eventually, Dean was able to mention the case. Ruth seem excited to be working a job again but somehow she worked that conversation back to Tom. Sam and Dean prepared for a long night.

Sleeping arrangements ended with Sam and Ruth in beds while Dean slept on the couch.  
>Around four in the morning Sam suddenly sat up in bed. The noisy creak startled Dean awake, who instantly grabbed a knife and held it up defensively.<br>"Oh." It was just Sam. He put the knife down, crossing his fingers that after all this time those visions haven't started back up.  
>"I just realized something!" He announced, putting his shirt and shoes on.<br>Dean just stares. "I'm borrowing the Impala." Sam says. He grabs the keys and leaves, closing the door quietly as to no wake Ruth who, miraculously, hadn't woken up the entire time.  
>Dean groaned and got back into bed, past worrying about his brother.<br>He has a gun, he thought sleepily, drifting back into unconsciousness.

The next morning Sam was laying dead in his bed. And by dead Dean meant dead to the world. Ruth yelled at him and the kid didn't wake up.  
>Dean would be worried if it wasn't for the obnoxious snoring coming from his bed.<br>Sam finally woke up around noon. He jumped out of bed saying excitedly, "Dean! Ruth! Get over here!" The two came over with burgers in their hands.  
>"Lunch? It's only... Wow. 12:35? Really?"<br>Ruth nodded. "We got you a bacon burger!" Sam looked at the burger.  
>"Uh... No thanks..." Dean shrugged and picked it up. "Don't mind if I do."<br>"Like I said," Sam continued. "There's something I have to tell you. That woman who didn't have any kids but was killed by the Oni? She was pregnant!"  
>"Pregnant?"<br>"Yep, one month. I didn't know Onis targeted people that didn't actually have a kid."  
>Ruth giggled. Her brothers stared at her excitement over a pregnant woman's death.<br>"Oh, no!" Ruth realized what this looked like. "No no no! I'm just glad to be on a case again. I used to take my anger out on the nearest hunt but at college I couldn't do that!"  
>Sam sighed. "Well, let's get going if you're so excited about it."<br>Ruth jumped up and just about ran to the car rambling about what fake I.D.s she still had.

The Winchesters were leaving the police office with a couple files when Ruth screamed to pull over and jumped out of the car to throw up.  
>"You okay?" Dean asked worriedly as she got back into the car. She nodded yes and he handed her a bag before starting the car again.<br>"Don't you dare puke on my baby."  
>Despite Ruth's protests that she was okay now, Sam and Dean took her back to the motel anyway.<br>"You stay on this bed- or in the bathroom if you need to puke again- and you do NOT work on the case. Not until you're better." Dean orders sternly.  
>"Fine." Ruth grumbled. "But don't worry 'bout me or anything. I'll be fine without you."<br>The boys saw her run to the bathroom for another round with the toilet as Sam shut the door.  
>Dean was opening the car door when he heard a pained piercing shriek come from the room. He shared a frightened expression with Sam before the two raced for the door to their room.<br>Dean fumbled with the keys but Sam couldn't wait and just kicked down the door.  
>A black hooded creature was on top of Ruth. Dean emptied his gun into the creature and it bared it's sharp fangs before disappearing out the broken window.<br>Sam was already by Ruth's side. She was out cold. "Ruth!" Sam shook his little sister gently. Dean joined them with a crazy look in his eyes.  
>Ruth's eyes fluttered open. She grabbed her stomach and moaned.<br>It was then Dean saw the blood blossoming on her abdomen.  
>Quickly, he pulled up her shirt to see a slightly deep cut along her side. Sam had gone to the Impala for the first aid kit and was already back.<br>Dean grabbed an antiseptic wipe. "Hey, Ruth. It's okay. I promise. You're safe now."  
>She nodded. Dean cleaned the cut and Ruth tried to swat his hand away.<br>Sam bandaged her up. "There. You're okay, see?"  
>But it continued to bleed. Dean looked at Sam. Neither wanted to take another trip to the hospital.<br>"Sammy? What do we do?"  
>Sam took another look at it. "Stitches."<br>"Hey, Ruth? We're just gonna stitch you up now okay?" Ruth nodded and clutched her side. She was strong, but she'd never been stitched up outside of the hospital.  
>When the needle went in the first time she bit her lip to stop herself from crying out. By the tenth and final stitch she was crying silently but Sam didn't stop stitching other than to wipe her tears away.<p>

By late that night Ruth was asleep and so was Dean. Sam, on the other hand, laid in bed awake.  
>He thought that his classification of the monitor was wrong. He was almost one hundred percent sure it was an Oni, but then again, Kappas prey on woman, too.<br>Luckily, he knew how to kill Kappas. Silver bullet to the heart. They really were just Japanese werewolves. He'd never seen one in America, though.  
>Either way, as far as Sam was concerned, by attacking Ruth, that thing signed it's own death warrant.<p>

The next morning Dean checked on Ruth. "How ya feelin' kiddo?" He sat next to her on the bed.  
>"I'm fine." She replied, sitting up. "Just achy." Dean smiled, relieved.<br>"Good. Feel like getting something to eat?"  
>"Yes, I'm starving!" Dean stood up. "Okay, then. Come on, Sam's asleep but we'll get him something."<br>Dean waited until Ruth got dressed before the two headed out. Life had been so different without her. Why'd he ever say yes to a year of college?

Sam woke up to find the room empty so he did a little more research about Kappas. He planned to share his idea with Ruth and Dean when they got back from wherever they went.  
>It was eleven when the pair returned with food. Ruth handed Sam a smoothie.<br>"We weren't sure if you were hungry so we got you a smoothie!" She was a total different person from yesterday. She handed it to him cheerfully.  
>"Thanks."<br>"You're welcome." Ruth replied. She began to walk towards the bathroom but Dean stopped her.  
>"Oh no you don't, not alone." She laughed. "Your welcome to join me!" She said sarcastically. "What? You gonna follow me into bathrooms now too? Nothing'll get me in there."<br>"Fine." Dean grumbled.  
>Sam turned to his brother, eager to say what was on his mind. "Look, it isn't an Oni. It's a kappa."<br>"A kappa?" Dean sounded surprised.  
>"I know, they never come this way, but it's the only other idea we've got. Ruth doesn't have children and the kappa preys on any woman."<br>Sam was about to explain how to kill the kappa when Ruth came out of the bathroom.  
>"Uh, I-I don't think it's a kappa." She said nervously.<br>"Of course it's a kappa. It's gotta be a kappa. Why wouldn't it be a kappa?" Now Dean was nervous, too.  
>Ruth hesitated before answering.<p>

"Because I'm pregnant."

**So, should I continue? Only if you guys want me to...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, yeah. So maybe that ending was obvious... Anyway, thanks for the reviews! Always glad to here what you're thinking. **

**Ch. 3: **

Sam's smoothie crashed to the floor and exploded all over the stained carpet.

Dean lost all color in his face and sat back down. "Are you trying to say-?" Dean didn't want to say the word.

Ruth understood and nodded.

"One month."

"Ruth, why didn't you tell us! Did you tell anyone! How did this happen!" Sam asked frantically.

Ruth rolled her eyes. "I'm not giving you The Talk. And yes, I knew. I've known for a while."

"And you didn't think to tell us!" Dean's voice cracked.

"I thought about it." She explained. "But I didn't want to worry you. But then you though it was a kappa- which obviously it wasn't- and I didn't want you to try to kill it with the wrong weapons. I didn't want you to get hurt." She added softly.

"AND YOU DIDN"T THINK TO TELL US UNTIL IT THREATENED OUR _LIVES?" _Dean screamed. "OH, YEAH, THANKS **SO** MUCH! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN **KILLED!**"

"Dean, calm down!" Sam interrupted. "This is not how to deal with this!"

"CALM DOWN? CALM DOWN? OUR SISTER IS GOING TO HAVE A BABY!" Ruth looked hurt by Dean's anger. Tears were welling up in her eyes. "Who said having a baby had to be a bad thing?" She whispered, almost inaudible. Dean looked surprised to here his sister say this. "Um, maybe because the Winchesters tend to have a habit of _dying! _And your only twenty and God, if something happens to the kid, then where will we be? Every bloodthirsty creature out there knows we have a soft spot for family and they will come after you and your kid and anyone else that stands in the way!" Dean kind of had a green tint now.

Sam looked worriedly at his brother. "You okay?" He nodded. "I just... don't want anything to happen to you." Ruth smiled. "Who said anything will happen? Any demon stupid enough to even try to hurt me has no idea that I have the two most badass brothers there are. I'll be fine." Sam sat back down and put his hands to his forehead. Dean was pacing around the small room.

He groaned. "Now what? Abortion?"

"God, no!" Ruth shouted, standing up. "I wouldn't think of it." Sam shook his head in agreement.

"Just offering." Dean sounded hurt. "Someone had to, but I guess I wouldn't want you to either."

Ruth sat back down. Dean chuckled. "What d'you want for your baby shower?" Ruth glared. Dean had to deal with the shock somehow and that usually meant cracking lame jokes every few seconds.

"Okay... Well, I guess it is an Oni then. That explains it cutting your stomach. Tryin' to get the kid." Ruth put her hand on her stomach protectively.

"Sam? Any ideas on how to kill it?"

"Not sure. Got some suspicions but nothing's definite."

"Maybe we should call Bobby." Dean suggested. No one disagreed so he dialed.

"Dean?"

"Hey, Bobby. You're on speaker."

"Hey, Sam." Bobby greeted.

"Ruth's here, too, Bobby." Sam added.

"Ruth?"

"Hi Bobby!" Ruth exclaimed cheerfully.

"Ruth," Bobby said. "It's good to here your voice, kid!"

Ruth leaned closer to the phone. "Good to here you too!"

"I'm guessing you didn't call to plan a bingo night. What's this all about?"

"We're hunting an Oni but we don't know how to kill it."

Silence from the other end. Half a minute later Bobby picked back up. "Oni. Prey on women and small children? You know, they're blind. They smell out their victims. Hunted one years ago in Florida. You gotta kill it with a silver knife blessed by a priest."  
>"Thanks, Bobby, but how do you keep them at bay, you know? Stop then from attacking?"<p>

"Oh, did you find a possible target?"

Dean looked at Ruth. "Something like that."

Bobby sighed into the receiver. "I don't know, just keep her and the kid safe."

Sam cleared his throat. "Um, actually, it's just her. She's, uh, pregnant."

"Pregnant? Didn't know it could work like that. Good to know..." His voice trailed off as if he was writing something down. "Well, I'll tell you if I find anything out."

"Thanks. Bye, Bobby." Sam said.

"See ya. And take care if yourselves, will ya?" He hung up and Dean turned to Ruth.

"Until we find out how to hold it back you're camping out here with Sam."

"Where do you think your going?" Sam demanded.

"I'm going to find a priest to bless my knife!" He said, wielding one of his most prized possessions. "And you and Ruth are going to stay here, because we're not even going to think about leaving her alone until we gank that mother!"

Sam understood. He didn't want to leave Ruth alone, either.

"Hurry." He told Dean, who nodded and left.

Ruth and Sam flipped through channels until they found a channel to watch to wait for Dean to get back. They sat in silence until, during a commercial break, Sam blurted, "What do you think it is? You know, boy or girl?"  
>Ruth was surprised by the question and thought about it a minute before answering. "I don't know. I think I'll make it a surprise. Wait 'till it happens, you know?"<p>

Sam was caught off guard. "Don't you want to know?" Ruth shrugged. "As long as it's healthy."

"But we can't call it an "it" for nine months!" Sam protested.

"Then what do you think it is?" Ruth countered. Sam gently put his hand on his sister's stomach.

"It feels like a girl." He concluded confidently. His hand moved as she laughed.

"How can you be so sure? It isn't even an it yet! It's like, the size of rice or something. I never did pay much attention in Health." She added as an afterthought.  
>Now it was Sam's turn to shrug. "I just know it is."<p>

...

Dean wasn't aware of how fast he had been going until the police lights came on behind him. He cursed. Stupid cops. All they ever did was slow him down.

He cranked the window down as the officer walked up.

"License and registration, please."

...

Sam looked over to see his sister had fallen asleep. Halfway through The Godfather, too. It was just getting good. He smiled.

She still looked peaceful when she was asleep. It was the one chance to momentarily forget about everything going on. He really hoped Dean would get back soon. They could really use some sort of protection from the Oni. Sam only watched about five more minutes before he drifted off to sleep, too, despite the unpleasant... _noises_ from the room next door and the distant sounds of gunshots from the small TV.

...

Finally! The officer walked back to his car and Dean started off again. This would set him back, but he would drive all night if he had to. No stopping until Ruth was safe.

Dean couldn't stop thinking about his sister. Pregnant. His sister, going to be a mother. And him and Sam as uncles? It was all too weird. Like an alternate universe minus the Djinn. None of them had ever planned to have kids. It would just be cruel to stick another generation through the hunter lifestyle. Dean sighed. It was Ruth's decision. Kind of. Didn't seem planned, he thought. Ruth wouldn't do that. But he did know that she wasn't all that upset about it and come to think about it, now that he was past the initial Baby Shock Wave, he wasn't either.

...

Ruth woke up around eleven. She must have fallen asleep during the movie. The TV was still on, flashing some late night show into the dark motel room. Sam had turned the volume down so he wouldn't wake her up and the light from the almost silent screen filled the room every few seconds.

Dean still wasn't back but she knew not to worry. What were the chances of him finding a willing priest this late, anyway? He was probably holed up in a motel a couple towns over waiting for morning.  
>Ruth slowly lifted her brother's limp hand off her stomach as to not wake him when she headed to the bathroom.<p>

Sam turned over on his side and was peacefully asleep again. Ruth tiptoed into the bathroom and shut the door quietly behind her.  
>The distant sounds of cars on the highway and the quiet hum of the TV were the only noises in the motel room until-<p>

"SAAAM!"

**Screaming = excitement and action, just so you know.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! Okay, so I've finished writing the rest of the story so you should get another update pretty soon! Thank you for any reviews or favorite stories or anything like that. I can only hope I wrote all of this for a reason, so enjoy!**

"SAAAM!"

Sam flipped out of bed and was on the floor in seconds. He raced across the room, stumbling slightly, and grabbed a gun.

The only light in the room was coming from the bathroom. Sam ran towards the closed door and turned the knob. Ruth had locked the door. He tried to kick it down, but it was surprisingly strong for a crappy motel room.

"Ruth! Ruth! Can you hear me?" He shouted desperately through the door.

"Sam!"

"Ruth! You need to unlock the door!"

He yelled. Silence.

"Ruth?"

"I'm here! The- the thing- the Oni is in here, but it's just staring at me! It's stalking me! It knocked my knife away!"

She sounded petrified but Sam didn't think she was scared for herself.

He tried to calm himself but when he spoke it came out shakily instead of confident.

Suddenly, the thought struck him. Idiot!

He tripped over something in the darkness as he grabbed his lock pic from his duffel and ran back to the door. Ruth was whimpering quietly.

Sam fumbled with his tools. "Come on! Come on!" He muttered. He heard a click and pushed the door open. Ruth was laying on her back on the other side of the small, grimy room. The Oni was on top of her, it's black robes draping coldly around it's dark face and sightless eyes.

Sam didn't know if he'd ever seen something so creepy. It was smelling her. Breathing her in like she smelled of a batch of warm cookies.

Sam couldn't wait. He shot at the creature. It screeched at him and flew at him, throwing him into the headboard of a bed.

Apparently, the Oni preferred women but had no problem throwing men into hard objects. If Dean were here he would make some lame joke about how Sam really is a girl. But Dean wasn't here. Hopefully, he was on his way back with the knife right now.

He groaned and touched his hand to his head. It came back with blood between his fingers. He stood back up but the Oni pushed him down.

Ruth was crawling towards her knife. She banged her head on the vanity and the Oni whipped it's head around, moving towards Ruth. Sam reached for something, anything. His hand closed around a shoe. He threw it at the gruesome creature. "You get away from her!" He growled. Where's Dean?  
>The shoe hit the Oni square on the back. It turned around and snarled. Quick as a flash, it was by his side again.<p>

He tried to push it away, but it's bony fingers grabbed his neck. "Ruth! Run!" He choked out.

Ruth just stared, frozen.

"Ruth!" She took one last look at her brother, grabbed her phone, and scrambled out the door. The Oni looked up for a second, but tightened its grip on Sam. He clawed at the creature's bony hands but it was no use. As long as Ruth was safe... Sam gasped for breath.

Suddenly, the thing's grip loosened. Sam thought he saw Dean's face, but he knew he must be hallucinating. His eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.

...

"Sam." The voice sounded desperate. Was he dreaming? He couldn't tell.

"Sam. Open your eyes." Whoever it was should really stop bossing him around. He smiled. He was just so comfortable with his eyes closed.

"Why is he smiling?" A different voice.

"I don't know. Sammy, open your eyes." He was curious who these people were but his eyelids were so heavy. It would be easier to stay like this and just go back to sleep.

"Sam! Sammy, if you don't wake up right now I'll- I'll-" Something wet dripped on his forehead. Then another drop. Sam used all his energy to try to open his eyes. He only got halfway, but he saw the blurred images of two people next to him. "Dean? Ruth?"

The girl smiled, she had a cut on her cheek and her eyes were wet. "Sam, don't you ever do that again! I could've handled that thing!" Dean rolled his eyes. Sam ignored them both.

He sat up and saw the corpse of the Oni a few feet away. "Is it dead?" He asked.

"Yes, that's usually the consequences of having a knife stabbed through your heart." That was Dean all right. Sarcastic as ever.

Fifteen minutes and two aspirin later, Sam was just about back to normal. "I've got to say Dean." Sam spoke. "You've really got perfect timing." Dean chuckled.

"Personally," Ruth chimed in. "I believe 'perfect timing' would've been before Sam passed out and I had to run outside with my phone to tell Dean to step on it."

Dean smiled but he was thinking about other things. He knew he would have to voice his thoughts eventually, so why not now?

"I know no one wants to talk about this, but... is Ruth going to stay here with us or go back to her boyfriend?"

The other two sat in thought. Ruth answered nervously. "I think I need to be with Tom. It's his baby, too." Sam nodded. Dean looked frustrated, but he seemed to understand.

"But look at the bright side! I've got a week until I go back! We can do one more job together."

Sam forced a smile and Dean grimaced. Neither wanted her to leave again.

...

The salt and burn was succesful, but Dean had expected that. Ruth was born to be a hunter and he didn't understand why she'd decided to go to college. What drew her to college, Dean didn't know. He never thought she'd want to go. She never said she did. He didn't even know she liked school!

By the end of the week, Dean and Sam were reliving sending Ruth off exactly a year after last time.

They all said their good-byes and she was gone again.

The brothers watched Ruth drive away until she turned onto another street.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think she'll ever want to come back to us?" He was hoping for something reassuring but Sam's voice cracked as he answered.

"No."

**That was chapter 4 of 5 so... can ya guess what's gotta happen next chapter?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! Okay, so final chapter. Thanks for any reviews, I really appreciate it. **

**Disclaimer:**** *Sighs* no, not mine.**

It had been eight months since Sam had seen Ruth when he got the call. It was 10:25 and Sam answered when he saw the caller I.D.

"Ruth?" Then the realization hit him. "Is it time?" But the voice on the other end wasn't excited.

Ruth was crying into the other end of the line. Sam was immediately alert. "Ruth? Are you okay?" Now Dean was awake and staring at the phone with intense worry.

Ruth finally spoke. "It's Tom! He's bleeding... everywhere! Oh my god! I don't think he's alive!"

Sam was so shocked he almost dropped the phone. "Are you hurt? What did this? When did it happen?"

Ruth was sobbing. Sam couldn't understand what she said through her tears. Dean was wide eyed trying to listen to both sides of the conversation.

"What'd you say?"

"I just found him. Then I called you."

"Okay, Ruth? You need to call the police." Ruth was sniffling into the phone. "Okay, I'm at my apartment. Come get me." She whispered. She gave Sam the address.

"We'll be there as fast as we can."

Ruth hung up.

Dean couldn't contain himself any more. "Police? What happened?" He was so worried Ruth was hurt but he knew Sam had been talking to her so she couldn't be hurt that bad.

"Ruth's fine." Sam informed. Dean sighed in relief. "But Tom's dead."

...

Dean was speeding but they knew they wouldn't get there before morning.

Dean couldn't help but notice Sam's worried expression.

"Sammy, she's okay. She wasn't hurt."

"Maybe not physically."

Dean didn't know what to say to that and they drove on in silence.

...

They reached the scene of the crime at 4:45. The police lights were flashing in the early morning light and Ruth was sitting on the edge of an ambulance.

Dean and Sam headed straight towards her and when a policeman moved to stop them, Dean flashed a badge without another word.

Ruth looked up with her red and puffy eyes when her brothers walked up. She leapt up and grabbed onto them, not letting go for a minute. Finally, she pulled away.

Dean got a chance to look at his sister for the first time in months. She really was a pregnant woman. Her belly protruded way past her feet and she had a habit of rubbing it.

She was wearing maternity clothes and, surprisingly, an engagement ring.

"Ruth? What the hell happened?"

She sniffles and nodded towards a policeman. "They said it was suicide! He didn't have a gun but he found one of mine. I told the police it was his and he was planning on registering it. They believed me."

She sat back down on the ambulance. "Can we go? They said they're done questioning me."

Dean nodded and helped her up.

...

They took her back to the motel room. Ruth was still in shock. She stared at the TV but she wasn't watching it. The first time she made an exclamation of surprise Dean tensed, but she explained it was just the baby kicking.

He still couldn't get used to his little sister being a mother. He knew she was going to be great at it, but still. Ruth? She's only twenty. She has a life to live, shouldn't be tied down like this.

"Is there a soda machine outside?" Ruth asked.

"Yeah, do you want something?" Sam was eager to help her.

"Ugh. You guys treat me like I'm incapable!" She swung herself out of bed and made her way towards the door, muttering about being underestimated.

She was only outside for a minute when she came back to the door, her eyes wide.

...

"Dean, you're going to get in an accident!"

"Sam! I'm not delivering a baby in the backseat! We're getting there as fast as possible."

Ruth was crying. Dean glanced back. "Is this a hormone thing or something else?"

Ruth sniffled. "If Tom had just waited one more day... He could never say no to his own child!"

Sam looked at his sister. "Ruth, if he was willing to leave you and his child alone, he wasn't the right person anyway." She nodded, fingering her empty left hand where her ring used to be.

Ruth wiped her tears away and smiled. "I'm almost a mom!"  
>Sam chuckled. It was about time that kid was happy again.<p>

...

Once Dean swerved into the hospital, Ruth was whisked away. Sam turned to follow but Dean had stopped dead in the hallway.

"Dean, come on!"

Dean shook his head and stared at Sam. "Sammy, I can't do it. I can't go in there. She's gonna be in pain!"

Sam looked at his brother in awe. "Of course she is! And that's why she needs you there!"

Dean was really pale. Sam knew, with or without Dean, Ruth needed him in there. He patted Dean on the shoulder.  
>"Hang in there. They'll both be fine."<br>He walked away, leaving Dean standing in the hallway.

...

Dean had been walking aimlessly around the hospital waiting rooms for about an hour.

He had no idea how Ruth was doing or if she understood why he couldn't be there.

Dean didn't really understand why he couldn't be there, either. He couldn't explain it, he just couldn't handle that.  
>Dean sat down on a chair in the waiting room, but got bored quickly. He stood up and walked around again. He wasn't really sure where he was going. He was just walking.<p>

Somehow, he ended up at the nursery. Looking in, he saw all the newborns. How many would somehow be affected by some monster, some creature that they hadn't killed?

But then again, he had saved people, too. He saved Ruth, and that kind of meant he'd saved her kid.

He jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. A young nurse was standing next to him. "I'm sorry, you can't be here." She smiled.

Dean nodded. "Sorry. I'll just be... on my way then..." Dean would of left then but he was completely turned around. The nurse noticed. "Where are you trying to go? I'll take you there."

"Maternity." Dean answered. The nurse took him by the arm and lead him away.

She tried to make conversation. "So... Maternity. Who's there? Wife? Girlfriend?"

"Sister. Her name is Ruth."

"Congratulations!" The nurse pointed. "There you go: straight ahead!" Dean thanked her.

"My name is Jane. If you need anything, just ask for me." She smiled politely and walked away. Dean sat in one of the lime green chairs. A man sitting with two children were the only other people there. Dean watched the TV for a little bit then switched to the stack of magazines in the corner.  
>As much as he wanted to be with Ruth right now, he was going to wait it out here.<p>

...

"Sir? Sir?" Dean opened his eyes. He must've fallen asleep. He looked up to see Jane. "You're Dean, right?" Dean stood up quickly and took in his surroundings. "Who told you!" Please don't let demons come now! Not now!  
>The nurse was taken aback. "Um, your sister?"<p>

"Oh."

"She wants you to come in now." She grinned. "She's fine, and so is her daughter."

...

Ruth was in the bed and Sam was sitting right next to her. The first thing Dean saw when he entered the room was the little pink bundle in Ruth's arms. He walked in cautiously.

Ruth looked up, her eyes beaming as she looked from her daughter to her brother. She gestured for Dean to come closer.

The tiny baby was asleep in Ruth's arms. "She's beautiful." Dean whispered.

Sam shared a look with his brother. He had already held his niece. "Go ahead, Dean. Hold her."

Dean stepped forward as the twenty year-old held out the sleeping girl. Dean took her into his arms. She slept peacefully for a moment, but then her eyelids opened, revealing startling green eyes.

She began to cry. Dean sat down in one of the chairs and began to hum "Hey Jude" quietly. Within minutes, she was quiet again.

Sam and Ruth were both watching him but he didn't care. He pulled her closer and sang her to sleep.

Finally, he looked up from the sleeping baby. "What did you decide to name her, anyway?" He asked as Ruth held her hands eagerly for her daughter.  
>She looked lovingly at the green eyed girl.<p>

"Her name is Mary."


End file.
